Combined letter-box and bell.



No. 630,203. Patented Aug. I, I899. H. ELROD.

COMBINED LETTER BOX AND BELL.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

. No. 630,203; Patented Aug. I, I899. H. ELROD.

COMBINED LETTER BOX AND BELL.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet \Hihyzsszs I grow, IgQcg'Im, I

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY ELROD, OF LADQGA, INDIANA COMBINED LETTER-BOX AND BELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 630,203, dated August 1, 1899. Application filed December 19, 1898, Serial No. 699,710. on; model.)

' To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY ELROD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ladoga, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Oombined Letter-Box and Bell, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in combined letter-boxes and bells.

The object of the present inventionis to improve the construction of combined letterboxes and door-bells and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one adapted to be used as an ordinary door-bell and capable of ringing the bell when mail is deposited into it from the exterior to indicate such fact.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a door provided with a combined letter-box and bell constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a box or casing mounted on the inner face of a door 2, adjacent to a slot or opening 3 thereof, which is normally covered by a hinged door or plate 4, designed to bear the word Mail, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and a face-plate 5 is arranged on the outer face of the door around the opening 3 thereof and is designed to bear the number of the house, the plate 5 being extended above the opening 3, so that the number will be arranged above the word Mail, as shown. The box or casing 1,which is oblong, as shown, is provided with a hinged door 6, arranged to swing in a vertical plane and carrying the bottom 7 and provided with curved sides 8 to form a drawer or receptacle for the mail. The drawer or receptacle,which is adapted to be swung downward, is provided with a suitable spring-catch for securing it 16 and 17, consisting of push-buttons. circuit-closer 16 is located on the exterior of in its closed position. The spring-catch preferably consists of a sliding bolt 9, having a suitable handle, which also serves as a handle for the drawer or receptacle.

. The box'or casing is provided at the top of the opening 3 of the door with a horizontal partition 10, forming an upper compartment, in which is arranged a dry cell 11, which is connected with the binding-posts 12 of an electric bell 13 by wires 14 and 15 and by branch wires 18 and 19 with circuit-closers The the door at a point above the letter-box opening and is designed to be used as an ordinary door-bell. The other circuit-closer 17 is arranged within the upper compartment of the box or casing in position to be operated by a spring-actuated lever 20, which is connected with the hinged door or plate t. The lever 20, which extends through a slot 21 of the partition 10, is fulcrumed between suitable supports 22, and its upper end, which is bent slightly, is arranged to engage the circuitcloser17 and is connected with a coiled spring 23, secured to the lever and to the inner face of the door, as shown. The lower end of the lever is connected by a wire 24 with the door or plate 4-, which is arranged to swing horizontally, and when it is opened by a lettercarrier or other person it draws the lower end of the lever outward, causing the upper end thereof to push the button of the circuitcloser.

The bell proper is mounted upon the top of the box or casing. The casing of the bell is secured to thein'ner face of the top of the let terbox, and the bell-hammer 25 extends througha slot thereof but it will be readily apparent that the bell can be arranged at a point remote from the letter-box, if desired. The top 26 of the letter-box is hinged at 27 and is provided with a suitable fastening device adapted to hold the top normally closed and to permit the same to be opened to aiford access to the interior of the upper compartment. The outward movement of the pivoted drawer or receptacle is limited by a suitable flexible connection 28, having one end secured to one of the curved sides 8, and its other end is fastened to the front of the box. By this construction the pivoted door 6 is supported in ahorizontal position while the mail is being removed from the box. The sides 8 are con nected by a transverse wire or rod 80, which is adapted to throw the mail forward when the pivoted drawer or receptacle is swung downward.

The invention has the following advantages: The combined bell and letterbox is simple and comparatively inexpensive in c011- struction, and it is adapted to be employed as an ordinary door-hell, and it is capable of sounding an alarm when the hinged door 4: is opened for depositing mail into the box, thereby notifying persons within a house of the same.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a door having a slot for the introduction of mail, of a box mounted on the inner face of the door and adapted to receive the mail, a movable cover mounted on the exterior of the door and arranged over the slot, an electric bell, a circuit-closer located within the box and connected with the bell and provided with a push-button, a lever fulcrumed within the box and arranged to engage a push-button, a spring for holding the lever normally out of engagement with the push-button, and a connection bet-ween the movable cover and the lever, said connection extending through the mail-receiving slot, and arranged to carry the lever into engagement with the push-button when the cover is open, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a door having a slot, of a box mounted on the inner face of the door and provided with a horizontal partition forming an upper compartment and havinga slot, an electric bell, a battery arranged within the compartment and connected with the bell, inner and outer circuit-closers mounted on the door and in the said compartment and connected wit-h the bell, a lever arranged to engage the inner circuit-closer and extending through the slot of the partition, and a plate or cover arranged over the slot of the door and connected with the said lever, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a box having a horizontal partition provided with a slot, of supports located above the partition and arranged adjacent to the slot, a lever fulcrumed on the supports and extending through the slot, an electric bell, a circuit-closerconnected with the same and arranged to be engaged by the lever, a spring connected with the lever and holding the same normally out of contactwith the circuit-closer, and a lid or cover connected with the lever and adapted to operate the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY ELI-10D,

Witnesses:

HARRY E. Doocnnn'rv, A. M. Sco'rr. 

